For those that own both a tri bike and a road bike, and have gone to shorter cranks on the tri bike…are you using shorter cranks on your road bike as well? If not, why? How did you decide on the length for your road bike?
I use 170mm on both my road bike and TT bike (I’m 6’5")
Tadej just won the Giro with 165mm cranks on his road bike.
I use 170mm on both my road bike and TT bike (I’m 6’5")
Tadej just won the Giro with 165mm cranks on his road bike.
Interesting about Tadej! Wonder if there are a lot of pro roadies giving the shorter cranks a try.
I just went from 165 to 155 on my tri bike (I’m 5’10). So was thinking of putting the 165’s onto a road frame…
I use 170mm on both my road bike and TT bike (I’m 6’5")
Tadej just won the Giro with 165mm cranks on his road bike.
Interesting about Tadej! Wonder if there are a lot of pro roadies giving the shorter cranks a try.
I just went from 165 to 155 on my tri bike (I’m 5’10). So was thinking of putting the 165’s onto a road frame…
At the weekend I have just gone from:
170 on TT bike and 172.5 on road bike
to
165 on TT bike and 170 on road bike
I am only 1.75m (5’9"). Definitely seems to be the trend to follow at the moment.
I’m 6’2" and ride 165 on my tri bike, 172.5 on my road bike, and 170 on my MTB. I haven’t felt the need to go shorter on the roadie - hip impingement hasn’t been an issue for me and I don’t love the way the shorter cranks feel when climbing out of the saddle (not a big deal on the tri bike, but something I do quite a bit on the roadie).
For those that own both a tri bike and a road bike, and have gone to shorter cranks on the tri bike…are you using shorter cranks on your road bike as well? If not, why? How did you decide on the length for your road bike?
I ride 165’s on TT bike and 172.5’s on my road bike…Been like that forever.
Two weeks ago, I switched to 165’s on the road bike.
It was like a long peaceful exhale the first time I got on the bike. Quads, knees and cadence just loved the change.
Don’t hold your breath like I did. Make the change.
For those that own both a tri bike and a road bike, and have gone to shorter cranks on the tri bike…are you using shorter cranks on your road bike as well? If not, why? How did you decide on the length for your road bike?
I ride 165’s on TT bike and 172.5’s on my road bike…Been like that forever.
Two weeks ago, I switched to 165’s on the road bike.
**It was like a long peaceful exhale the first time I got on the bike. Quads, knees and cadence just loved the change. **
Don’t hold your breath like I did. Make the change.
That is what I’m hoping for as well (both on tri bike and road). Grew up racing on 175’s, cause…that’s what Greg used… 
Now in my 50’s, joints etc are less happy…
I went from 172.5s to 165s on my tri bike back in 2010, but kept 172.5 on my road bike at the time. I got my first power meter (P2M with 165s) in 2014, and decided to put the old 165s on my road bike, so I could easily switch the P2M crank between both bikes without having to make any adjustments. Found that I was more comfortable and faster with the shorter cranks on the road bike, and haven’t used anything longer since…
Wonder if there are a lot of pro roadies giving the shorter cranks a try.
Yes. From what I’ve seen from the pro cyclists I’ve tested and talk with, almost no one is riding 175s anymore on their road bike.
The 52/42 175mm then 53/39 175mm cranksets that so many of us grew up on are like the dodo bird.
I find it amazing that bike companies are even stocking 172.5s on their largest sized bikes. Probably what they can get that keeps MSPR below or at a certain price point.
Any bike shop that is smart would do a pre purchase fitting with an adjustable crank. If the bike has 172.5 I bet 70% of the time the customer will prefer 165 or 170. Easiest sale right there
I run 155 for tri, 165 for road and gravel.
Way more comfortable for me, I have back issues and the shorter cranks help me sit flatter on the saddle. Really no downsides for me
I am currently using 150s on the Tri Bike but liked 155s also for a little more power but less comfort.
I ride 165s on my road bike, but about to throw on the 155s. I think climbing will become easier.
I use between 165 mm and 175 mm cranks on my various road bikes. I am not that sensitive, if I don’t know what cranks are installed, I wouldn’t recognize the crank length. And I have more aggressive positions on my road bikes than most triathletes have on their tri bikes. 165 mm cranks on my bike for crits in order to pedal through tight corners.
For track cycling purposes, I did some pretty comprehensive testing. I went through 160mm to 175mm, adjusting my saddle appropriately, and doing my best to normalize effective gearing by swapping chainrings by a tooth at least once…maybe 2-3 times? Pursuit and mass start positioning. Doing kilo efforts - a mixture of endurance and sprint power. Pretty high cadence ~120.
I couldn’t identify any difference in comfort or ability to generate power at any length. Maybe the shorter cranks made the top end cadence feel a little easier, but it wasn’t enough of a change to really show up in the data. I ended up settling at 165mm for no particular reason.
For track and TT I’m at 165. Road bike 170. MTB 172.5. My new gravel bike just came with 175mm OEM. I’m not going to change out the crank.
It’s slightly annoying to have to track 4 different saddle heights in my personal fit spreadsheet. Otherwise doesn’t trouble me.
n=1, as many things in fit. I’m a long-legged 6’4", so my morphology is probably unlikely to be troubled by longer cranks. I totally understand that others may be sensitive to it, and find massive benefits in comfort or power generation.
I have hip issues so switched both road and tri bike to 150mm. (i’m 5’4"). Honestly hoped it would make more of a difference (tri bike is very noticeable improvement, less so on the road bike), but still has helped.
Interesting. I had the exact opposite experience on the track. Moving down from 175s to 165s was waaay to small. 170s even feel a bit small for standing starts, but are offset by the better position in aero.
Anyway to the OP, most roadies are moving towards shorter cranks but not quite as short as TT/tri.
I bought into the shorter crank trend on the tri bike and trialed in 5mm lengths from 170 down to 150 until I settled on 160 as what felt best for me. Back in the day I had followed the long crank road trend and rode 175 for years and then went to 170 when I started tri and shorter cranks. I even trialed 165 cranks on my cross bike I had at work thinking it would be more advantageous towards my tri training and hated it.
After years I trialed 172.5 again on my road bike and that just felt the sweetest and most enjoyable to ride across varying terrains. A 170 crank may feel slightly nicer on the flat and 175 on the hills but overall just by feel I prefer the 172.5 more.
I put 175 on my MTB and gravel bike which I find most advantages as you sometimes almost stall the cranks and can really use the extra length and leverage more. For reference I’m 6ft…
I ride 165mm road and gravel, 170’s on the fatbike and mtb. Have been for several years and I like it.
I’m 5’11" and have raced rrs and crits on 165mm cranks for the last 8 or so years. Have them on both my road bikes.
155 on triathlon bike.
IMO the benefit of short cranks is largely in the position that they allow you to get into. Pedaling efficiency is maybe better shorter, but a very small effect that needs more study.
For track racing tho (and increasingly road racing) the mass start positions are looking more like TT positions. Shorter cranks allow a lower position both in terms of hip flexion angle and knee-to-chest bumping. This holds true for long and low mass start positions as well.
What I’m getting at is that for your testing confirms the data that crank length has very little impact on power output/efficiency. I haven’t seen your position so I have no idea, but a shorter crank should allow you to make further changes in the position that help aerodynamically, and that’s where the real benefit lies.
I went down from 172.5 on my road bike to 170 on advisement of fitter. 165 on TT bike. I have moved most everything down to 165 subsequently and plan to stay that way.
Makes moving power meters easier as well. YMMV.
-U